Code Geass: Operation Nidhogg
by snakeboy33
Summary: "The duty of a patriot, is to protect his country from its government." Thomas Paine. Princess Euphemia loves her country, and she loves her people. She would do anything for them, even if that meant she would have to consort with those her government deemed to be her country's enemies. Inspired by true events.
1. Diary

_**From below the dragon**_

 _ **dark comes forth,**_

 _ **Nidhogg flying**_

 _ **from Nithafjoll;**_

 _ **The bodies of men**_

 _ **on his wings he bears,**_

 _ **The serpent bright:**_

 _ **but now must I sink.**_

 _Final stanza of the_ Völuspá

 **()()()()()()()()()()**

 _When I was eight years old, my mother told me that in the end, the sum of an nation is its people, for a nation without its people, is not a nation, but patch of land with a flag. As such, it is the highest duty of the monarch to preserve the people, so that they may preserve their nation. To that end, the honor of Britannia is the honor of its people. Likewise, I believe, or at least like to believe, that I'm willing to fight for the Britannia and its people. But when I see what Britannia has become thanks to my father, its dishonor, has become the people's dishonor._

 _The horrendous acts of murder committed on the command of the Viceroys in the areas, or the generals on the field bring shame to the Britannian Imperial Army, and would make the knights of old weep. The codes of chivalry and justice that Britannia was built on have been stomped upon, and replaced with doctrines based on cruelty and blood. My father promised our country prosperity and power, and I suppose to that end he told the truth, but he failed to explain that the price of such things would be damnation._

 _I am not so naive as to not know what our enemies call us, and what they call me father; they call him the "Enemy of the World". At first I tried to deny it; I tried to rationalize the actions in my mind, and do my best to help the conditions of the conquered people. But it was all just a lie I told myself and others, and now I see clearer than ever, that the enemies are right; the Emperor is the enemy of the world. But I also realize something else; Charles zi Britannia is not only the enemy of the world, but the enemy of Britannia. He prioritizes expanding the empire, rather than ruling it as it is. And while many don't see it, the Britannian people suffer for it; our economy has become frail, and our lines have been stretched thin. It seems it would only take a spark, and all of Britannia would explode in a massive blaze. But the Emperor doesn't care; he won't ever care what happens to Britannia or its people. A man like that cannot, nay, must not be allowed to rule anything._

 _When I was born I entered a covenant with the Britannian people, that as royalty, I would protect and lead them however and whenever it was needed. But only now do I understand what I have to to if I am to fulfill my covenant._

Euphemia set her pen down, as she sat back, looking at the diary entry she had just completed. She thought maybe writing it all down and seeing it in front of her would make it seem more real. But if anything, writing it made it seem even stranger; was she really thinking and feeling all these things? The princess was broken from her thoughts, as she heard someone knocking her door.

"Come in!" Euphemia said, quickly shutting her diary. The door opened, and Cornelia walked in, in full uniform.

"What are you up to?"

"Just working on my diary," Euphemia answered, "What about you?"

"I'm here to say my goodbyes," Cornelia answered, "I am going to be deployed to the Middle East." Euphemia kept her feelings hidden, save for a sight twitch of her finger.

"The Arab kingdoms are next?" After Cornelia clarified that, Euphemia sighed, as she looked back down at her journal.

"Why? What's the point?"

"To expand the empire, why else?" Cornelia said, with a slight shrug.

"But is it really necessary?"

"Of course its necessary. By expanding our Empire, we're getting access to resources that can be brought home, and be used to make Britannia stronger." Euphemia had some doubts about that, but opted to keep them to herself.

"Do you have to go?"

"Its my duty," the elder sister explained.

"But do you really have to go so soon? You know what tomorrow is, right?" Cornelia stopped suddenly, as her fists clenched

"I don't need to be reminded," she said solemnly. Looking back down at her desk, Euphemia's eyes briefly got misty. Tomorrow was the anniversary of Lelouch and Nunnally's death. She remembered Cornelia requesting to personally go to Japan and retrieve the two before the invasion took place, but the Emperor wouldn't even hear it.

"Lelouch and Nunnally would want us to move on," Cornelia said, shaking her head slightly, "We can't wallow in sadness." Knowing she was right, Euphemia shook her head slightly so as to clear it, as she looked at her diary.

"Well, I should be going," Cornelia said, "I'm expected in Area 12 by tomorrow morning." She approached her younger sister, and opened her arms for a hug, which the Third Princess readily gave.

"Promise me you'll be safe," Euphemia said.

"I can promise that at least," Cornelia said, kissing her sister on the forehead. With that the two, parted, and the elder sister started to leave, as Euphemia looked after her.

"Cornelia, before you go, can I ask you something, quickly?" she suddenly asked.

"Of course," Cornelia said, looking back at her sister with a smile. The pink-haired girl shifted on her feet slightly, averting her eyes.

"I have to protect Britannia, its my sworn role as a princess," Euphemia said, "You want to protect Britannia, too right?"

"Of course," Cornelia answered, looking puzzled by the question, "Who wouldn't want to protect the Empire?"

"I didn't say the Empire," Euphemia said, her fingers curling slightly, "I said Britannia." Again, Cornelia looked puzzled, but just shook her head slightly.

"What is the purpose of this question, anyway?" she asked.

"Well," Euphemia said, tapping her finger on her desk, "What would you do to protect it?"

"I would do whatever it took."

"Anything?" Euphemia asked, "Even if that meant potentially turning against it?"

The silence was so thick between the li Britannias that it felt like it could've brought down the ceiling. Cornelia looked Euphemia straight into the eyes, but the younger girl didn't even flinch against that steeled gaze.

"Where are these questions coming from?" the Second Princess inquired.

"My mind," Euphemia answered as she sat back down at her desk. Not really a lie, but not really the whole truth either. Her sister was silent for a long time, as if considering either the question, or Euphemia's behavior. Or perhaps it was both.

"I said I would do whatever it took," Cornelia repeated, and to indicate that the conversation was over, she left the room. Euphemia watched her as she did, her brow furrowing. She wished they hadn't parted on those terms, but then she looked towards the Britannian flag that was draped in her room. She then turned back to her diary, and finished her entry.

 _If I am to truly fulfill my covenant with the Britannian people, I must see it all through to the end. Because even if it means I become a traitor, I must see to it that my father, the enemy of Britannia, is defeated once and for all, no matter the cost._

 _All hail the true Britannia._

A World on Fire: A Complete World History _, by Terrance Madsen_

 _Let it first be said that I am writing this as a Britannian. True, a Britannian from a different time, but a Britannian nonetheless. I cannot and will not pretend to understand the plight of the people that languish under Emperor Charle's thrall, but I will do my best to see that they are represented as well as can be. This piece is a chronicling of what I consider the most important details of the world, and its nations, and I hope that by reading this, others may at the very least have another piece of the truth._

 _Special thanks to Earl Lloyd Asplund and Lady Kaguya Sumeragi for their contributions to this piece, and their insight into the events that would define an era._

 **Note: An idea I've been musing about in my head for a while now. Much of this story is inspired by real events that took place in Germany during the reign of the Nazis, when members of the German government and military conspired to remove Hitler and the Nazis from power.**

 **People may want to insist that the way I'm approaching Britannia is wrong, but is it really so wrong to give Britannia an identity beyond just the evil empire? Seriously, give me one real cultural feature of Britannia that isn't based on racism, or imperialism. There will be OCs in this story.**

 **Be sure to review.**


	2. Conspiracy

_**Conspiracy**_

" _Patriotism is when love of your own people comes first; nationalism, when hate for people other than your own comes first."_

 **~Charles de Gaulle**

"We've been working too slowly," First High General Alezan declared, "We need to action now; we need to confront Charles and force him out of of power."

"You saw what happened to Senator Helmsley," Fleet Admiral Dechman said, "If we get too outspoken, we can and will be next."

"And how do you suppose we do such a thing?" Countess Skylark added.

"The best way to pull down a structure is to remove its base," Fourth High General Alezan said, "Charles is powerful but he's not a god; we can take control of several important installations, remove important supporters, and leave his rule destabilized."

"Who supports us?" Skylark asked.

"The common people to begin with," Senator Eddison answered, "And I'm very confident the Senate will support us as well."

Through all of this, Euphemia just listened, staring into her tea cup, considering all that was being said. Euphemia was not the only dissenter in the Empire, far from it, there were many who opposed the rule of the 98th Emperor for various reasons, from patriotism, to grudges, to reasons she didn't know. These included everyone to high ranking military officers, to nobles, to senators. The most inner members of the organization were all gathered in the living room of a retreat of one of said dissenters.

First High General Alistair Alezan was a tall, lean man who suffered from a condition that made it impossible for him to grow hair, leaving him completely bald. He had a scar over his left eye, and a snake tattoo over his right. He wore a red military uniform with a red cape with a golden snake symbol on it. His sister, Fourth High General Camilla Alezan was equally tall and lean, but unlike Alistair, she had long, wavy hair that was a brilliant crimson and tied back; she wore a bright red dress with gold details, with a snake coiling around the skirt of the dress. Both of them had bright red eyes, that were almost snake like. Fleet Admiral Thomas Dechman was a comparatively shorter man, with thick brown hair, and an equally thick brown beard; he walked with a cane, due to an injury he was said to have sustained in a battle during the conquest of Morocco. Countess Lucille Skylark was a thin, tall woman with long blonde hair that she kept plaited; while she was beautiful, her beauty was offset by a long thin scar that went across her face, which Euphemia did not want to know the origin of. Senator Meryl Eddison was a short, portly woman with short black hair, and dark skin; unlike the others, she wore a relatively plain, dark blue dress shirt and skirt, indicating she was a senator, and not a noble or general. And they were only some of the many people assembled in the room, though those five were among the more prominent members of the dissenters. If nothing else, the princess took solace in knowing there were many who agreed with her position.

"It does not matter how many positions we control if we can't take the support of the military," Skylark said, "How can we be sure they will support us?"

"My brother and I can guarantee the support of our respective commands," Camilla said.

"And I'm sure my wife will support us when the time comes," Alistair added. His wife, Silvia LaGuardia, was the Second High General (though she was also an ally of Schniezel if Euphemia remembered correctly, but that was a problem of its own).

"Again, the common people support us, and when the time comes, will rally around Princess Euphemia," Senator Eddison said, "The Senate will as well. And from there we can…"

"You're all wrong," a new voice interrupted. All eyes, even Euphemia's turned to the source of the voice.

"By all laws of men and gods, Charles zi Britannia is the ruler of Britannia," Marquess Matthew Stadtfeld said, "The soldiers all took a holy vow to serve him, and him alone, and even the common people see him as their rightful leader; we try and oust him for power, we will only be more upstart nobles and generals grabbing for power." Lord Stadtfeld was the man whose retreat they were gathered in. He was a man of average height, with short, well kept red hair, and blue eyes. He had a pencil thin mustache, and wore a dark blue noble's uniform with red details. Euphemia did not know him well, as he was a recent addition to the dissenters, only getting into contact with their ranks a year ago.

"Come now," Alistair said, "That's such a pessimistic way of looking at things. The people respect Princess Euphemia, and they respect us. They know who their friends are, and they are not the ones who look down on them from St. Darwin's Avenue."

"Lord Stadtfeld is right," the princess finally said. That got the entire room to look at her.

"Your Highness!" the First High General said.

"My father ascended the throne legally," Euphemia said (on the broader scale, she doubted that was entirely true, but it was irrelevant), "He was crowned ruler in the same ceremony and tradition that my ancestors were. He is the rightful ruler, and nothing will probably change that." Alistair cringed, but he seemed to acknowledge his princess' logic, and stepped back.

"If we are to take control of Britannia from the Emperor," Euphemia explained, "We need to remove him first; we can't just seize power arbitrarily."

"But as Marquess Stadtfeld just said," Admiral Dechman said, "Charles is the rightful ruler of Britannia by law, how could we get him off the throne? It is not as if he will abdicate."

"We could create a scandal," Camilla suggested, "One so large that it might force him to surrender the throne."

"It would take a scandal of the highest magnitude for such a thing, which we may not be able to find or create. And at any rate, he would simply will the throne to Odysseus or Schniezel," Euphemia answered, "That would effectively leave us where we started." The Third Princess was not especially trusting of the Second Prince, for a whole menagerie of reasons; while she believed that Schniezel was not a cruel man at heart, he was still ruthless and power hungry. Britannia would not improve any under his rule.

"There is also the matter of the common people," Countess Skylark said, "While our princess does have their respect and admiration, that doesn't mean they will immediately accept her as their Empress."

"The countess is right, what they need is something to rally under," Alistair said, rubbing his chin.

"What would that be?" Euphemia asked, "Our people have been united under one cause: subjugate the world."

"I'm not sure," Skylark said, "But it would have to be something that the Britannian people can truly believe in without propaganda." That was easier said than done. Part of what made Charles' message so effective was simply how effective his propaganda machine was. Generally, information flowed freely, but the state news was quite effective at twisting the story. They were also savvy enough to omit details relating to the treatment of the conquered people, keeping what was possibly Britannia's greatest shame in the dark. And none of it was helped by the constant "reminding" of how superior the Britannian people were to the conquered, so what little word of the suppression did get to the common people was simply blown off.

"Sadly, its still a moot point though," Alistair said, folding his arms and leaning on the wall, "It doesn't matter what we unite the people under or against if we can't remove Charles."

"There is only one true solution: the Emperor must die," Lord Stadtfeld said. Hearing that made Euphemia's teeth clench; in spite of everything, Charles was still her father, and it went against so many of her basic instincts to think such things; in addition, killing Charles would have been an extremely risky venture. But the Marquess was right, of that there could be no doubt. Charles zi Britannia was never going to end the policies that were damning Britannia, let alone actually change. While Euphemia was reluctant to admit it, killing her father was, in all likelihood, the only way to really solve the issue.

Looking around the room, Euphemia could see everyone nervously looking at each other. None of them seemed anymore enthusiastic about such an act as she was, so she took this as a cue to end the meeting for the time.

"We have discussed it all we can tonight," Euphemia said, "Let us rest, and we will reconvene on another time." With that, she took her tea cup.

"And in the mean time, to his Majesty, the Emperor," Euphemia said, raising it, "May we be rid of him."

"All hail Britannia!" the room collectively proclaimed holding up their cups or glasses, as they all drank to the sickness of their Emperor.

A World on Fire: A Complete World History _, by Terrance Madsen_

 _I) Britannian Imperial Government_

 _I could spend an entire book discussing the complexities of the Britannian government, but I have to remain focused, so I will seek to streamline the description as best I can._

 _At first glance, the Britannian government seems like the purest form of autocracy, where the Emperor and the Royal Family are above the law, and can do whatever they want, whenever they want. While in some respects that's accurate, the truth is somewhat more nuanced. Yes, the Holy Britannian Empire is an absolute monarchy, where the Emperor is the head of state and government; no large decision in the Empire can be made without his approval. The Royal Family is the highest body of authority, and the various princes and princesses hold immense power within the Empire._

 _That all said, there are two other major bodies of government in Britannia, which serve as a legislative branch of sorts. Those two bodies are the House of Lords and the Imperial Senate. The former consists of the various lords and aristocrats throughout the Empire, while the latter represents the interests of the common people. Laws are often drafted in these respective chambers; often in one or the other. Any law or bill drafted in one body must be signed off by the other, and if it does, it is presented to the Emperor, who either signs off or vetoes the law. The Emperor can and will create laws, but it is traditionally considered the role of the other branches. Charles zi Britannia's reign is notable in the sense that he drafted and implanted many laws himself._

 _A detail to note, is that spending allocation is a power that has ultimately fallen to the Senate. While any spending needs the Emperor's approval, it does not need the House of Lords; therefore, larger state funds often are under the Senate's control. There have been cases where they have deliberately dragged their feet in certain spending commissions, particularly when it comes to military affairs. Unfortunately, during the reign of Emperor Charles, such actions had a tendency to result in some rather sudden retirements and replacements; to that end, the Senate doesn't drag its feet anymore when it receives a Royal request._

 _No competent ruler would ever seek to outright antagonize the other branches of government, let alone both at the same time (which 91st Emperor William learned the hard way, but I'll get to that later). On the one hand, the nobles do have a command of their own, and more often than not are powerful business moguls, and on the other, commoners outnumber royalty and nobility by a factor of nearly a thousand. As Empress Elizabeth once said "It is hard to rule over millions who want you dead"._

 **Note: Like I said, there will be a number of OCs, mostly out of necessity. Also, as you can no doubt see, Euphie is more politically astute in this story than in canon, but I certainly still consider her to be an idealist.**

 **This chapter is mostly to establish where Euphemia stands in her plan to take down her father, as well as the allies that she has. She has a long way to go of course, but maybe she can find that rallying cry somewhere. The chapters will be getting longer as the story progresses, particularly as it begins to sink up with canon.**

 **Some people have asked if this is inspired by** _ **Operation Valkyrie**_ **and in respects it is, but its more broadly inspired by the larger German resistance during the Nazi regime. It was actually quite extensive, and consisted of some high ranking officials.**

 **Please review.**


	3. Zero

_**Zero**_

" _Our obligations to our country never cease but with our lives."_

~ **John Adams**

Euphemia folded her arms, as she stared at her computer screen, contemplating her next line. One of the arguably more positive things she had inherited from her father were his speaking skills; if nothing else, that man could give a speech. And while the Imperial Family did have speech writers, Euphemia generally preferred to draft her own speeches; at any rate the girl learned pretty early on that using the work of the writers(who more often than not worked for her father) just made her a mouth piece.

Support of the common people was something that Euphemia suspected she could count on, but it wasn't a surefire thing. Aside from the oldest generations, the Britannian people had only ever known the reign of her father, or the Emblem of Blood, and Charles had made an effort to see that history that didn't suit his goal, while not totally erased, was "omitted". To that end, the Third Princess could not be sure how the Britannians would respond to a sudden change in policy. And that wasn't even accounting for the areas.

The areas were a problem on several levels; decolonization was going to be an issue no matter what, but the primary issue was in the fact that it was very possible that the various viceroyalties would simply refuse to accept Euphemia's authority. A fundamental flaw with the administrative policies her father had in place was that the viceroys had near total control over the inner affairs of the area, including its resources, and most of the forces stationed there were loyal to the viceroys before the throne. Euphemia suspected that the emperor put that system in place deliberately to make the environment as competitive as possible. Unlike the primary Britannian army, which was highly disciplined and professional, occupational forces (the two operated independently of each other) were openly encouraged to abuse the conquered, the idea being that it discouraged insurgency. To that end, the armies that policed the areas were considerably more hardline, and conservative. And so, when the time came, there was a very legitimate risk of the areas openly revolting.

However, Euphemia knew she couldn't think about stuff like that at this point, and had to focus at the task at hand. She was currently writing a speech she was going to give to the soldiers, where she hoped to encourage them to be kinder to conquered people. Though she knew she had to choose her words carefully, lest she be viewed as weak. Because as loathed as she was to admit it, she still had to play the game her father had put in place; weakness was systematically sought and stomped out, and the princess knew she had more than a few people in the palace who would be all too happy to see her brought down. So until Britannia was free, Euphemia had to go along with with the system.

"Come in," the princess answered, closing her computer.

"Forgive me for disturbing you, Princess,"

"Oh its nothing, what is it?"

"Princess Euphemia, my utmost sympathies for your loss," the servant said, bowing deeply. Euphemia looked at him in confusion.

"What is it?" she asked.

 **(a few days later)**

Euphemia could only watch in silence on the tv screen in her room as the funeral procession advanced. Clovis was the third sibling to be claimed by Japan, and if that was indicative of anything, it was that Japan was not worth the blood the Empire had shed. The streets were lined with citizens gathered to mourn their prince. Privately, Euphemia wondered how many of them were actually mourning, and how many were "persuaded" to mourn.

That was when the "perpetrator" came forward. It was a young Japanese man, slightly older than her, Suzaku Kururugi. That sight sickened her, using an innocent man as a scapegoat simply out of racism. Was this what her nation had devolved to? It didn't make her feel any better knowing that Sir Gottwald had been the one to make the arrest; she knew him in the Aries Villa, and he was a good, loyal man then. What could have made him the fiend he was now?

Though the last Euphemia wanted on her mind right now was the conspiracy, her mind couldn't help but wander to it. Japan (on principle, Euphemia and the rest of the dissenters refused to use the term "Area") was a place the princess was wary about, mostly because it was there that many so called "purist" factions were taking root. Also, since it was rich in the all important sakuradite, it was a place of interest for the government, especially the hardliners. In short, it represented several of the obstacles that the dissenters faced.

Suddenly, Euphemia was broken from her thoughts as she noticed a small truck advancing on the procession. She couldn't imagine why anyone would want to do such a thing, considering how trigger happy the forces could get. The truck came to a sudden stop, before a tarp burned away to reveal a single figure dressed entirely in black, with a helmet with three tips, making him resemble a chess piece. Euphemia only had to take one look to get a feeling of authority from this man, and then he spoke.

" _I am… Zero!"_

 **(sometime later)**

Euphemia rewound the clip for the fourth time, as if the scene had some kind of great secret of the universe hidden within it. And with the mere presence Zero carried, perhaps it very well did.

"So," she muttered out loud, "Who is this new player?"

"New players don't disrupt the game, they just alter the rules slightly." Euphemia turned to see a new man enter her room, without knocking. If it were any other person she would've promptly kicked them out, but this man wasn't any other person.

"S.S.," she said softly. S.S. was a tall man with light brown skin and a cleanly shaved head and face. He spoke with an accent that Euphemia couldn't place; at first it sounded Middle Eastern with a trace of African, but even then seemed to have a number of other accents mixed in with it.

"I am sorry for your loss, but I won't pretend and say that the world isn't better for it." Euphemia clenched her teeth at that. She really wanted to argue that, but she knew she couldn't.

"I'll mourn the brother Clovis was, not the man he became," she eventually said.

"A noble sentiment," S.S. answered with a slight nod, "Though nobility alone rarely achieves much." Euphemia resisted the urge to roll her eyes. S.S. often talked using sayings like that; it took quite a bit of getting used to.

"My people will see it, and they will feel empathy," Euphemia said, "That I am sure of."

"Is that so?" S.S. responded, "What are you basing that off?"

"Basic human decency."

"A thing your father has rather vigorously sought to stomp out," S.S. said, folding this arms. Euphemia's jaw tightened, as she turned back to her desk.

"If nothing else your father understands that to keep a war going, he has to keep the people motivated," S.S. continued, as he walked to a window, and looked over the expanse of Pendragon, "The worst odds to gamble on are the good will of the people."

"No, I refuse to believe that," Euphemia said, not looking back. S.S. briefly glanced at the princess, before looking back out the window.

"With due respect, Princess, as it stands, do you really think you alone can achieve peace?" he said, "Consider that you succeed, and make the world as you think it better. Well, do you know what's best for everyone?"

"Of course not," Euphemia said, finally looking back, "I'm not a messiah."

"And for that I am quite thankful," S.S. said, this time turning to face her, "But what do you think this Zero is?" Euphemia glanced at the still image of the masked figure.

"I don't know," she said.

"Messiahs are more dangerous than people realize," S.S. said, coming up towards her, "They are built around reputations and achievements, which people rally under. Soon those two things become legends, and from legends, sprout devotion. The more devotion and adoration they gain the more assured of their legend they become. And the more assured of the legend they are the more assured they are of their righteousness, and then infallibitliy. Inevitably, they fall victim to the craving for deification, and the total belief of their own infallibility. If Zero is a messiah for the Japanese people, then there is no telling who he will step on to achieve his goal." Euphemia listened to the man's lecture, frowning the whole way through. She didn't believe in messiahs either, necessarily; it was in the name of salvation that some of the worst acts of bloodshed in history had been committed. But she did believe in people helping others because it was the right thing to do, and for all she knew, maybe that was who Zero was.

"Dwell on these words, Princess," S.S. said, as he turned to leave, before adding, "And I don't need to tell you the best course of action at this point." Euphemia watched him leave, before turning back to Zero. She had to admit he was right about at least one thing, she knew exactly what she had to do.

A World on Fire: A Complete World History _by Terrence Madsen_

 _II) State of Japan_

 _While I will not pretend that the Britannian occupational government was good in anyway, do not let some more nationalistic individuals say otherwise, the State of Japan was far from perfect, and certainly had its dark side._

 _Prior to its annexation by Britannia, the Japanese government was a complicated entity, with many different cogs and facets. On paper, Japan was a constitutional monarchy, ruled by a Royal Family, but with most of the actual power being held by the Japanese Parliament. The head of Parliament was the Prime Minister, who was the head of whichever party held the most seats. Members of Parliament were elected democratically._

 _In function however, much of the power was held by the Houses of Kyoto; these old and distinguished families were often the owners of prominent businesses, important members of government, or both. Beyond them, were multiple lesser houses and clans of varying degrees of importance. The Imperial Family was one of these houses, and in practice, was one of the most important and powerful. This essentially made Japan a sort of (what some historians call) "neo-feudal" state, in that governing was essentially by a series of prominent and powerful families, who had lesser families as their allies (a more cynical person might just say "vassal"). To that end, Japan was mostly governed by an intricate web of alliances, deals, and rivalries, and quite often the Prime Minister was the head of one of the Houses. To that further end, Japan was less of a democracy under a constitutional monarchy, but an oligarchy controlled by powerful families._

 _Maybe only half of the time were all the Houses of Kyoto truly on the same page. Most of the time, they often had subtly different agendas, that could and would run counter to each other. While open feuding was illegal obviously (or at the very least frowned upon), more subtle ways of opposition existed, such as sabotage. While elections weren't ever rigged (at least to my knowledge, but Lady Sumeragi once told me she wouldn't have put it past some people), entry into the Parliament was no easy task for an outsider. One would have generally to align themselves with an existing faction or family if they wanted to get anywhere in government, and even then, had to play to their tune. That is not to say that independents never existed, since they did. However, they rarely made much of a real impact in government._

 **Note: I know this was short, but I needed to get this scene out of the way, before I could progress the story. Basically, its Euphemia reacting to Zero, and introducing S.S.. That was the purpose of this chapter.**

 **S.S.'s role in the story can be compared to C.C., but a difference is S.S. has been around for quite a while (even for a Code bearer), and he's seen some shit. I invite people to guess where he's from, and who he might be. I'll say now that he is a real figure from history. Also, S.S. will get very philosophical and maybe somewhat political in this story, and let me just say that his views are not my own.**

 **On a similar note, as you no doubt noticed, I'm trending with the quotes at the start.**

 **Be sure to review.**

 **Announcement: I've recently enlisted in the Air Force, and very soon I'll be heading to basic training. That's about two months where I'll be effectively cut off from the rest of the world, and after that I'll have to enter technical school, and then I'll be going into active duty, so there's no telling when I'll have proper free time to work on my fan fiction. Hopefully I will have the time though.**


	4. A Knight and a Princess

_**A Knight and a Princess**_

" _ **A person should not agree today to what they'll regret tomorrow."**_

 **~Bandamanna Saga**

Looking out over the settlement, it was impressive how much it resembled the homeland, right down to the architecture and layout; Euphemia had really mixed feelings about it. On the one hand, she was thankful to have familiar surroundings, as it made a transition easier, but on the other hand, she could only imagine the death and destruction this new city was built on.

On S.S.'s advice, the 3rd Princess had opted to come to Japan, if only to get a sense of what it was like. However, knowing that she wouldn't truly get a feel for the land unless she actually went out and explored it. While the inner settlement was mostly Britannian, it still gave Euphemia a chance to gauge the environment and the people. Unfortunately, Cornelia had wanted her to remain in the complex, and when it came to her safety, that was an impossible argument, so Euphemia opted to simply leave on her own. However, in what was a rare lapse of judgement (she liked to think so at least), she made a rope out of bedsheets to descend, and didn't realize it wasn't enough until…

"Out of the way please!" she cried as she fell, "Look out below!" She then found herself being caught by a pair of arms.

"Are you okay?" the arms asked.

"I'm sorry, I didn't realize there was anyone down here until I leapt," she said, looking into the face of her rescuer.

"Don't worry, I wasn't expecting a girl to fall on me either." After a moment, Euphemia recognized him as Suzaku Kururugi, the same man scapegoated by the Purists. At first she was slightly taken aback, which must've shown in her face, as Suzaku looked concerned for a moment.

"Is something wrong?" he asked. Euphemia rapidly considered her response, before getting an idea.

"Yes, there is something wrong!" she said, "The truth is, bad guys are chasing me. So considering the circumstances, could you help me, please?" Euphemia knew she was really pushing up with this story, so she was somewhat caught off guard when it worked, and soon enough, she was being hurried away by Suzaku. _Well, I suppose things are off to a good enough start_ she thought.

 **(sometime later, somewhere else)**

"We haven't introduced ourselves yet, have we? My name is…," Euphemia paused for a moment, before remembering, "Euphie!" It was a name given to her by Nunnally when they were young, and it had stuck quite well.

"Euphie?"

"Yes!" She hoped at least that would be enough to avail any suspicious; no one outside of her family referred to her as such (though she did wish more would sometimes).

"My name is…"

"Don't tell me," Euphemia interrupted, "Because I already know. You're a celebrity, the son of former Prime Minister Genbu Kururugi, Private Suzaku Kururugi." Suzaku then looked away, to her surprise.

"You lied before," he said. That was all Euphemia needed to hear, as she desperately looked around for a different subject; the powers that were seemed to be favoring her that day, as she noticed a cat that was limping slightly, and practical phased over there. Fortunately that distraction seemed to work, as Suzaku came over, only to promptly get nipped. After finding a place to sit and giving the cat (who Euphemia took upon herself to name "Arthur") a bandaid, Euphemia decided to pursue the conversation.

"Do you have a problem with cats?"

"I like them just fine," Suzaku answered as he reached for Arthur, only to get hissed at, "But the feeling's not mutual."

"I think unrequited love is the mark of a kind person," Euphemia said with a nod. S.S. once told her that unrequited love was the mark of either foolishness or obsession, but the princess refused to ever believe that. She had to see the good wherever it was, especially this day and age. In her moment of thought, Arthur jumped away and disappeared into the crowd.

"Ah, kitty ran away," Euphemia said with a pout.

"So, why did you lie to me earlier?" Suzaku asked, bringing the conversation back to a place Euphemia really didn't want it to go. She quickly scoured her mind for options, before she got an idea.

"Are you asking because you're concerned about me?" she asked.

"Uh… yes."

"Good, then you can help me more," Euphemia said, before grabbing his hand, "Come on!" Not giving Suzaku time to protest, she promptly dragged him down the street into downtown.

They spent sometime just wandering aimlessly, looking through the various shops and stands. While it was certainly fun, Euphemia knew she still had a task to accomplish, and a reason she left the complex in the first place. For the most part, this seemed relatively similar to the homeland; Britannians going to and fro, living their lives, innocent enough, but ignorant of everything that was going around just outside of their peaceful bubbles. S.S. once told her that ignorance wasn't bliss, but an opiate that people desperately clung to, if only because it made the world seem safer, and more comprehensive. He then took the analogy a step further by saying that if one takes ignorance away, it leads to confusion and violence, and the princess truly had no idea how she would deal with that. Euphemia was then suddenly broken from her thought when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you okay?" Suzaku asked.

"Oh, sure, why?" Euphemia asked with a smile.

"You were just spacing out slightly." Euphemia chuckled for a moment, before stopping and looking back over the people.

"Forgive me if I seem presumptuous, but may I ask you a question?" she said.

"No problem," Suzaku answered with a smile.

"You love your home, right?" Suzaku looked surprised by that question, but he quickly regained his smile.

"Well of course," he answered, "Why do you ask?" The princess sighed briefly, looking him straight in the eye.

"Please don't take this the wrong way, but I'm a patriot," Euphemia said, "I love my country, and I love my people. I will do anything and everything to see both protected." Suzaku stared at her for a moment, before smiling.

"Well that's good to hear," he said, "In this day and age, considering most people seem to act out of hate, its good to meet someone doing something for love."

"Indeed," Euphemia said softly, as she assessed the man in front of her briefly, before following him down the road to their next destination. It was then, while Suzaku's back was turned getting them snacks, that a red bird symbol lit up her in Euphemia's eye, her Geass.

"Geass" was a power she had gotten from S.S. as part of a contract he had yet to elaborate on. Euphemia's particular Geass gave her the power to look into a person's heart, and see their true feelings, specifically if they were noble, malicious, or something of both. Looking into Suzaku's heart, she saw a man who carried guilt, and wanted to atone for this guilt by making a better world with as little violence as possible. S.S. once told her that you could effectively divide people into two categories: those who acted out of hate, and those who acted out of love. While the princess didn't necessarily want to believe it was that simple, her time with her Geass supported that viewpoint one too many times. But it seemed Suzaku acted out of love, not hate, and Euphemia was certainly glad to see that. A thought then came to her mind…

"Suzaku, can I ask you something else?" Euphemia asked.

"Sure, anything," Suzaku said with a smile.

"What do you think of Britannia now?" That caused Suzaku's smile to fade, not that Euphemia blamed him. It was a rather "complicated" question, especially when it was a Britannian asking a "Number".

"Well, I think its a noble, respectable country that…," the Japanese man began.

"Stop it," Euphemia interrupted, frowning, "You and I both know that's not true." Suzaku seemed taken aback by that statement.

"But I thought you said…"

"I said I was a patriot, not a nationalist," Euphemia said, "I am not so blinded by love of my own that I hate others." Suzaku stared at her for a time.

"Its okay," Euphemia said, "I won't be offended if you're surprised. I imagine you don't encounter many Britannians who believe that." The soldier was silent for a time, as if contemplating her words, before giving one of the kindest smiles Euphemia had ever seen.

"Well, I can safely say I met one today," he said, "and as far as I'm concerned, that's all what matters the most." Euphemia returned the smile, before it faded, as she looked into the distance for a moment.

"Would you indulge me one last time?" she asked.

"Your wish is my command, Milady," Suzaku said with a mock bow.

"Take me to Shinjuku ghetto," Euphemia all but commanded. She didn't need to be told that it was a strange request, but even after Suzaku looked at her surprise, she held to her decision.

 **(in Shinjuku)**

The walk to the ghetto took some time, but they were there soon enough. After the massacre no one was really bothering to rebuild it, and few had returned to it. It would probably just fade away as time went on. The teens were standing in front of the makeshift memorial that was made for those who died. Despite the anger he felt, Suzaku knew he couldn't dwell on it; it wouldn't change anything.

"How many people were killed?" Euphie suddenly asked, surprising the soldier. That was a weird question for a Britannian to ask an Eleven, as few Britannians even knew about the massacre, and those who did didn't ponder the casualty rate.

"I'm not sure," Suzaku said, "Too many though, and I suppose that's the important thing."

"The important thing is that it happened in the first place," Euphie said looking to the memorial as she stepped forward, putting her hand against it, "When it never should've." She then bowed her head, and started whispering something that almost sounded like a prayer. Suzaku was tempted to put his hand on her shoulder, but figured they weren't familiar enough with each other yet to do that.

"On behalf of Britannia, I beg your forgiveness," Euphie said as she faced Suzaku, bowing her head. A Britannian woman asking a Japanese man for forgiveness. It was so abnormal that Suzaku could barely believe it was even happening.

"You don't have to apologize, it wasn't your fault," Suzaku said, holding up his hands.

"The sins of Britannia are my sins," Euphie said softly, as she looked back to the monument, "They must be atoned for. Do you think the knights of old, who fought in the name of chivalry and honor would approve of the actions of their descendants? That Eowyn vi Britannia, who fought against invaders that sought to enchain his own home, would approve of this?" Suzaku wasn't sure what to say in response to that. However, he was broken from his thoughts by the sound of a commotion coming from the side. Turning, he saw a few Japanese men getting in the face of a couple of Britannian teenagers; now in a rare inversion, it was the Japanese picking the fight, though the Britannians certainly weren't helping the situation. While it frustrated Suzaku, he also noticed the pink haired girl visibly tense up, as if angry, but he noticed she seemed to be looking more at the Britannians than the Japanese. When the confrontation started to become physical, Suzaku opted to intervene, though when he did, he was promptly recognized by the others.

Fortunately, before violence could really break out, one of the more level headed Japanese men persuaded his hot-blooded friend to fallback. As they left, Suzaku let himself take a breath, as he picked his sunglasses off the ground.

"Suzaku, oh my are you okay?" Euphie asked, as she ran over to him.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Suzaku said with a nod.

"Well I'm not okay!" one of the Britannian students whined as he picked up his camera, "Just look at my Prime-G and my LX-4!" Suzaku knew he should've been more annoyed by that, but knew it was a waste of energy to get angry over kids like these.

"Why did you wait? Dammit, some honorary citizen you are," the other snapped.

"Why did you let them go? You should have killed them! What are a a few dead Elevens to a guy like you? Who do you think has been…"

*SLAP

Suzaku was again surprised, and despite himself somewhat impressed when Euphie soundly slapped the kid in front of him with so much force it made the kid stumble back.

"I will not let you continue to insult this man you oaf!" Euphie snapped. _Oh dear gods, I think I'm in love!_ Suzaku thought, before kicking himself for thinking like that.

 **(back at the Viceroy palace)**

The rest of the evening had gone without much issue, until some kind of attack took place in a nearby stadium. As it turned out, the commotion was from the Purist faction, or more specifically the power struggle with it. Euphemia knew about their group; as their name implied, they were a radical Britannian supremacists, who had made gains in the aftermath of Clovis' death, and were primarily responsible for Suzaku being scapegoated. They were initially lead by Jeremiah Gottwald, until recently of course. Seeing him like this depressed Euphemia, as she remembered him from her childhood; he was a loyal, chivalrous knight, who had the utmost loyalty to Marianne and her children. It had broken him when word came of Lelouch and Nunnally's death, and this is how far he had fallen. Euphemia wondered if this was his way of taking indirect revenge against those who killed them.

Unfortunately, after that debacle, Suzaku had found out about Euphemia, and her chance of being treated normally had come to end. To that end, she was left with little other option than to return to the palace. Needless to say, Cornelia wasn't happy with her younger sister, and Euphemia got an extensive lecture on the issue. The princess just sighed as she made her way back to the room, thankful that this day was over at last.

"S.S.?" she briefly called as she entered, noticing the immortal sitting on the couch, studying a vial of yellow liquid. The princess quickly realized it was Refrain, a drug that she heard was an epidemic in the ghettos.

"What are you doing?!" she demanded.

"Calm down, I'm not taking any," S.S. said, keeping his eye on the liquid, "And even if I did, I would be unaffected by it."

"You can't have it here!"

"Why not?"

Its an illegal, dangerous drug!" Euphemia protested, making a brief mental note to talk to Cornelia about it.

"Come now, Princess," S.S. said plainly, tossing the vial to himself before slipping it in his pocket as he looked at her, "you should know that when you do anything, its not a crime." Euphemia wanted to protest some, but found she couldn't, because it was true; that was the nature of the Britannian government. It was an autocracy, where the highest power was royalty, and the law was what the Emperor said it was. That said, while Euphemia knew there were dissenters who favored a more democratic system, she herself was skeptical of democracy; perhaps it was S.S.'s influence, but she believed that power was more secure in the hands of the educated individual than the uneducated masses, at least for the time being. Maybe in the future that wouldn't be the case, but in order to make real change for the time being, Euphemia would need absolute authority.

"Why are you so difficult to argue with?" she said with a sigh.

"Because I am usually right, perhaps?" Euphemia wanted to protest that oh so much, but found it hard to find a situation where he was actually wrong. Her real relationship with S.S. was a closely guarded secret, even from her fellow dissenters. Officially, S.S. was just a foreign servant who came to Britannia looking for work who Euphemia met, took pity on, and welcomed him into her service. It was a convenient story. Unofficially, he was Euphemia's closest adviser and on occasion, her teacher. She didn't know how long he had walked the world, but knew it had to have been a long time, and the experience and wisdom he had could provide was invaluable.

"I heard of what happened earlier," S.S. said, standing up, "Those Purists are a problem you will have to deal with sooner rather than later."

"I know what the Purists are," Euphemia responded, not looking at him.

"In all frankness, I don't think that you do," S.S. responded as he approached the window, "The Purists represent everything that has made Britannia what it now is. And those are views many share."

"They don't represent all of Britannia!" Euphemia snapped, whirling around, "Or even most of it!" That was a fact, and it really angered her when people condemned all of Britannia as nothing more than a nation of Darwinistic racists. True, her father didn't do much to help that image, but she wasn't going to let anyone condemn her entire people like that.

"I never said they did," S.S. answered, looking her straight in the eye, "But minority or not, they are here, they are in high places, and they will fight you every step of the way. The way I see it, you have only one option: crush them without mercy." Euphemia clicked her tongue at that, but didn't say anything, which the immortal took as an invitation to continue.

"During a sabbatical I was taking in Florence, I had lunch with a man you know as Niccolo Machiavelli, where we debated the various ways of leadership," S.S. continued, "He said that the leaders should aspire to be both loved and feared, and though fear is ultimately preferable if forced to choose, they should always take steps to avoid being hated."

"You and your stories," Euphemia scoffed slightly, as she rolled her eyes, "Is there a point?" He was always citing times he sat down with various historical figures, and while she didn't doubt his age, sometimes Euphemia wondered if he was just making some of them up. At any rate, Euphemia neither could nor would demand fear from her subjects; that only lead to more hatred and conflict.

"My counter to Niccolo was that leaders should seek neither be feared or loved, but to be revered; to be seen as a guiding light," the immortal continued, "You are going to have to be that guiding light, but there are going to be many that will want to snuff out the light. The Purists only represent the beginning." Euphemia sat down, and clenched at the fabric of her dress.

"I'll do whatever it takes to save Britannia," the princess declared. S.S. just shook his head.

"Everyone says they're willing to do whatever it takes until it actually comes to that," he said, "I'll let you mull on those words." He then moved to the door, and after it opened, he bowed deeply to Euphemia.

"Thank you so very much, Your Highness," he said meekly, fitting the role of the lowly servant, as the door closed. Euphemia sighed as she turned back towards the window looking over the settlement. She could only hope that this was one of the times where S.S. was wrong.

A World on Fire: A Complete World History _: by Terrence Madsen_

 _II) Britannian Armed Forces_

 _It goes without saying that the armed forces of Britannia are the greatest in the world. But while many credit its strength to its technology (which is true to an extent) its just one piece of the proverbial pie. In my opinion, the greatest asset of the army is its personnel, and command._

 _The commander-in-chief of the military is, as one might expect, the reigning Emperor. Initially, the second in the ranks after that was the Minister of War, but the position was abolished during the reign of Emperor Charles, primarily due to historical evidence of War Ministers using the position to build their own power base. To that end, the next is the Chief General of the Imperial Army, generally held by a member of the Imperial Family; existing alongside the Chief General is the Council of High Generals, a five member assembly appointed directly by the Emperor himself. The High Generals generally command the five branches of the Britannian military: the Imperial Army, the Imperial Marines, the Imperial Air Force, the Imperial Navy, and the Area Occupational Force (which was responsible for maintaining order in an area after it was incorporate, so the other branches could continue in other campaigns)._

 _Suiting his Darwinistic policies, during the reign of Emperor Charles, the Council grew viciously competitive, due to Charles rewarding funding with success. While at the time this seemed effective as it made all the Council viciously motivated for success, it worked to Britannia's detriment in the long run. Cooperation, even when needed, was unlikely, and the only branches that could continuously work together were the Army, Air Force, and Marines, being commanded by Fourth High Camilla Alezan, First High General Alistair Alezan, and Second High General Silvia LaGuardia respectively (the latter two being husband and wife). The Area Occupational Force, commanded at the time by Fifth High General Joseph Wyrman, was known for having the worst reputation, due to Wyrman's aggressive policies. Lastly, the Imperial Navy was commanded by Third High General Caesar Octavius (there is no known reason why he held the title of "general" in the Navy, opposed to "admiral"). The numbers in their ranks held little significance, dating back to Middle Ages, when the Council was first assembled, though the First High General eventually became the de-factor head of the Council._

 _Beneath the Council, were the various commands in the five branches, commanded in decreasing rank. Notably, while the Occupational Force was under General Wyrman's official authority, much of it was deferred to the Viceroys, who would fill the ranks with members of their own personal guard. Curiously, Wyrman never seemed to try and stop this, though no one is sure why._

 _Members of the Royal Family were within their right to countermand an order from any military official, and the soldiers would be obligated to follow it. The sole exception was if the initial order came from the Chief General, or one of the High Generals, in which only the Emperor could countermand that order._

 **Note: Yep, I gave Euphie a Geass. I think it fits the story quite well.**

 **This chapter was pain to write, because a lot happens in it. I'm hoping to be able to do more with it for now, but you can never know. At any rate, I'm in the US Air Force, so free time is now a commodity I've got to use wisely. For a little perspective, think of Council of High Generals as comparable to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the First High General to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs.**

 **Be sure to review. Now I've got to give a rant here lest I be driven crazy:**

 **Part of this story was inspired by a question I ponder while watching the series or reading fan fiction. Lelouch always says he's going to "obliterate Britannia"; well, what does that mean? What was Lelouch's endgame if everything went according to his initial plan (which is to say, if the BK hadn't betrayed him)? I highly doubt that means he intended to literally destroy the landmass and sink it beneath the ocean (though I don't really doubt that those kinds of fics exist somewhere on this site or others). Does it mean destroying the Britannian government, and leaving the people to rot in a state of anarchy? The most common answer I hear or see is "destroying the system". Okay, so what does "destroying the system" entail? Does it entail invading Britannia and forcibly changing everything based on what Zero determines is right? If that's the case, then wouldn't that make the Black Knights the foreign invaders/occupiers? Long story short, the "system" answer is the stock answer, and very few fan fiction ever really explore it and since most fics follow the original story fairly closely (for better or worse), the issue never really surfaces. It generally resolves itself the way the show does, with everything getting better because the story says its now better. Bare in mind that in the series, when Schniezel destroys Pendragon (probably killing millions, assuming Pendragon has the population of any large capital city), not only did the Black Knights seem unconcerned, they seemed supportive of it, and they chose to ultimately let Schniezel go free at the end; some might say his punishment was losing his freewill, but to me, that's a horrendous injustice. I'd dare anyone to really tackle "destroying Britannia" in their own story beyond the stock concepts.**

 **Also, I take really, really great issue with the "Black and Grey" morality trope (look it up on TVtropes if you aren't familiar); I don't think people really get what "grey" morality means. Functionally, there is no difference between "Black and White" morality, and "Black and Grey" morality. A story has truly "grey" morality, is when both sides are shown having true vices and virtues, and legitimate motivations, and where you aren't supposed to be sure on who to root for. A story's morality isn't "grey" when one side may have some vices with its virtues, while the other side is essentially defined by its vices. When you have an Empire completely defined by racism and social Darwinism, where its soldiers readily and without question commit mass murder, and there is no negotiating with, it doesn't matter how "grey" you're characters are, you've still got a clear set of good guys, and a clear set of bad guys. Yes, those kinds of people have sadly existed in the past, but that's not the point; the point is that the series (and by extension many a fanfic) insists its got grey morality because a few of the supporting characters are depicted as good, when it doesn't, not by a long shot. It doesn't matter if you have a few token good characters when the remaining 90% of the faction is evil, and hostility is the only way of interacting with it.** _ **Legend of the Galactic Heroes**_ **is a story that comes to mind when I think of real "grey" morality.** _ **Code Geass**_ **is NOT gray morality, since Britannia is still the evil empire with which violence is the only way of dealing with it (Suzaku's outlook is determined to be the wrong one compared to Lelouch's), and its not bad for any presented reason other than Its Britannia; meanwhile the Black Knights** _ **may**_ **do the occasionally questionable thing, and Lelouch is willing to stick his hands in the mud to get things, but they are still fighting the evil empire, meaning they are still the unquestionable good guys.**

 **Okay, that's finally done (its been simmering for a while), and if you disagree with me on any of this, that's perfectly fine. Again, be sure to review.**


	5. Rage and Vengeance

_**Rage and Vengeance**_

" _If his heart rules him, his conscience will soon take the place of the rod."_

 **~Ancient Egyptian proverb**

"What progress have you made?" Euphemia asked.

" _We have gained ground in the North, but were stopped five miles in,"_ High General Alistair Alezan explained _, "No ground was gained in the South."_ The princess liked to keep up to date regarding the military affairs, and while it may have been treasonous to think, she was kind of glad to hear of the slowing advance. For every conquest the Empire made, it had the potential to make her mission harder, since it served as another power base for Charles to build on. The Alezan siblings made efforts to keep things functioning in a way that favored the dissidents, which was not at all impossible in their positions as the commanders of the Army and Air Force, but they could only do so much.

" _But there have been further issues,"_ Alistair continued _, "According to Camilla, there are signs of antagonism stirring in certain divisions. Particularly towards the Euro Britannians."_

"What do you mean?"

" _For the time its mostly consisted brawls at the mess hall and the barracks and the occasionally dirty language, but there's nothing stopping things from going further."_ That was not at all good to hear, because it was all too true. Conflict between the two groups could very easily mushroom into something much bigger, which could come back to haunt the Grand Duke. He was an ally of the dissidents, and he would often take steps to advance their interests in that region, but his power was still limited by that of the Emperor. If the Duke lost any status or prestige in the region, it could seriously compromise their efforts.

"I imagine this is due to failures in the campaign?" Euphemia inquired, "The soldiers blame them?" Alistair nodded in affirmation.

" _My sister is working to strike a balance, but she's fighting an uphill battle."_

"Tell the Fourth High General I'm thankful for her continued efforts and service," Euphemia said, "I can only ask that she do her best." Alistair just nodded, before he checked his documents again.

" _According to field reports, many of the problems have been from Leila Macal,"_ he explained. Euphemia scowled at the mention of her; she had heard about her, she was a descendant of nobles who disagreed with Charles, and despite almost certainly being able to find a place amongst the dissidents, they chose to just flee. Anyone who ran away from a mess was a coward in her opinion; everyone had the obligation to help clean up the mess. And when a house was in such a state, you didn't just blow up the house (as many seemed to aspire to do).

"There is nothing to be done about her," Euphemia said, "All I can tell you is not to die."

" _That may be above my pay grade, Your Highness,"_ Alistair answered with a slight chuckle. Euphemia didn't return it, as she chewed on her lip. She hadn't been joking when she said that; Alistair was the First High General, and the commandant of the entire Imperial Air Force, but he was also a general with a reputation for honor and humanity, meaning he had plenty of people who would've loved to seem him go. While the Alezans were an old and respected family in Britannia, they still had their enemies, especially now that they were High Generals, and on the front.

" _Also Your Highness, you should know that two of our agents were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy,"_ Alistair then added. Euphemia's heart skipped.

"Was any information lost?" she asked quickly.

" _They both bit cyanide pills before they could be interrogated," th_ e High General answered. Euphemia sighed in relief, before looking at the table solemnly. While it wasn't standard practice and certainly wasn't expected, let alone asked, many an agent had met their end like that. It seemed the most surefire way of preventing valuable information from leaking. But it didn't make her feel any better.

"What were their names?" she asked.

" _I… I don't know,"_ Alistair answered, apparently surprised by the question.

"Figure them out, and see to it that they're remembered," Euphemia instructed, "They died in service of their country." When Britannia was free of her father, Euphemia intended to build a memorial to commemorate all the brave souls who said "no" to his regime.

" _Of course, Your Highness,"_ Alistair said, bowing his head. As he did, another thought came to Euphemia.

"What of the local insurgencies?" she asked.

" _Nothing larger than ordinary, but they have been more bold since Zero appeared,"_ Alistair answered _, "Since the occupational forces haven't arrived yet, we've been trying to deal with them our own way, but the viceroys are making things difficult."_ The princess chewed on her lip. This was to be expected, as the viceroys across the empire owed their position to the Emperor.

" _If I may be so bold, Ma'am, I would recommend engaging Princess Cornelia on this matter,"_ Alistair said. Euphemia's fists involuntarily clenched at that, and when she didn't respond, the High General took it as an invitation to continue.

" _The support of the Chief General would be invaluable. It could push some of the moderates in the military over to our side, and give us that extra edge needed to stabilize our hold."_ Of the Council of High Generals, the only ones Euphemia knew personally were the Alezans; she had a few engagements with Second High General LaGuardia, and while she certainly seemed to be a professional officer who had no taste for cruelty or oppression, Euphemia didn't know her. She did however know Joseph Wyrman, the Fifth High General, and general commander of the Area Occupation Force. An elitist in every sense of the word, he believed that Britannia belonged wholly to the nobility, the commoners were merely the drones to increase their wealth, and the "Numbers" the ones to grind up for that wealth.

That left the commander of the Imperial Navy, Third High General Caesar Octavius. Euphemia knew nothing at all about him, save that he lost his arm in battle; he kept to himself mostly, and only attended military meetings, and even then only occasionally. Her allies on the Council couldn't tell her much about him either save from what Euphemia already knew. True Cornelia's support could lean him in their direction, but there was no guarantee.

"Its more than that," Euphemia said, "Could you really see my sister siding with us?" Alistair opened then closed his mouth, getting the message. Cornelia was a woman steeped in military discipline, and was no fan of their father. Much to the contrary, Euphemia knew that Cornelia hated him almost as much as she did; she blamed him as much as others for Lelouch and Nunnally's death. Euphemia also knew Cornelia wasn't actually a racist at heart. To her, conquering lands was strictly business, not personal, and she did not necessarily approve of the conquered's treatment. But the Japanese were an exception, and Euphemia had a good idea as to why: they were the ones who murdered Lelouch and Nunnally.

" _Of course, Princess, forgive me if I sounded presumptions,"_ Alistair said, bowing, before something offscreen seemed to take his attention.

"Go if you need to."

" _Thank you, Your Highness. I will continue my work here."_

"Of course, thank you First High General," Euphemia answered, "All hail Britannia."

" _All hail Britannia,"_ Alistair answered, putting his hand over his chest, and bowing his head again, as the connection cut out. Euphemia sighed, as she rubbed her forehead.

Something that her conversation with Alistair had indicated to her was how few allies she had in Japan. Aside from S.S. and Marquess Stadtfeld, there was no one she could really trust with these sorts of matters. She would've loved to bring more here, but they had responsibilities in other places that they couldn't abandon. And in this day and age it as so hard to tell who she could and couldn't trust. That was when Euphemia's mind turned to Suzaku. He was definitely a capable fighter, and from what she'd observed, a man of integrity and honor. But she still only barely knew him, and wasn't sure he could yet be trusted with information and drive that the dissenters held. Sitting back in her seat, Euphemia looked over her suite. As she did, she noticed her adviser sitting in a chair by the window, his nose in another book.

"What are you reading?" she asked.

"A chronicle of Genghis Khan," S.S. answered.

"Let me guess, you served in his court too," Euphemia said, rolling her eyes again.

"Actually no, I was in Baghdad during his time. I warned the Caliph to withdraw to Damascus, but he of course didn't listen. I otherwise avoided Genghis during his term, though I did spend some time in Kublai's court." Euphemia rolled her eyes as she listened to him drone on.

"Can I ask you something?" Euphemia asked her advisor. S.S. just nodded, not looking up from his book.

"Do you think Cornelia would support me if I told her the truth?" At that, S.S. looked up, as he snapped his book shut, considering the answer.

"She might support _you_ ," he eventually answered, "As for the your _movement_ , you can't be sure. Your sister has become a woman driven by rage; she seeks to avenge the deaths of all the family taken from her."

"Cornelia's not an evil woman," Euphemia said, "She may savor defeating her enemies, and killing those she thinks deserve it, but she doesn't enjoy acts of wanton cruelty like others do."

"Her record would indicate otherwise," the immortal said plainly. The princess, though she really wanted to, honestly couldn't argue with that; but she had to believe, no, she _knew_ Cornelia wasn't evil at heart.

"At any rate, perhaps that's not the issue at hand," S.S. responded, as he stood up and approached her, "Cornelia's goal is to slaughter those who murdered your siblings. To that end, there are now two kinds of people in the world: those who help her, and those in her way. I shouldn't have to tell you what she would do with the latter."

"You really think she'd go that far?"

"When Mehmed II arrived at the gates of Constantinople, I reminded him that his goal was to take the city, not destroy it; to rule the people, not slaughter them. He agreed then, but as the siege dragged on he grew more frustrated, to the point where he lashed out at me, declaring he would crush everyone standing in his way in the city, no matter. He didn't realize his error until two days after the looting had begun." The immortal then shook his head slightly.

"I don't think he ever really forgave himself for letting all that pillaging take place," he said.

"So you're saying Cornelia will become consumed by her anger and frustration," Euphemia said slowly, "and she'll burn half the country to the ground just to find Zero."

"And at that point, even Zero's death wouldn't satisfy her," S.S. added.

"So what can I do?" Euphemia asked after a pause.

"I'm afraid I can't say for certain. The most I can offer is that your may end up being your sister's only chain to the ground." Well that wasn't any pressure at all.

Euphemia needed a place to unwind quietly. She didn't think it was selfish to want a day or two off. The hotel on Lake Kawaguchi seemed apt enough. Now was just the matter of convincing Cornelia; somehow that seemed like just as big a hurdle to clear.

 _A Complete World History: Emblem of Blood_

 _Though some may assume otherwise, Britannia was not always the imperialist, cutthroat nightmare that Charles zi Britannia made it. Something always causes countries to go down this road, be it a war, a famine, or in this case, a power struggle._

 _The roots of the Emblem of Blood, as it would come to be known, lay in the ascension of the Emperor Brutus nu Britannia. As Crown Prince, he had a reputation as a womanizer, taking many mistresses to bed, which was something he would carry upon his ascension to the throne. Though considered an otherwise passable monarch, Brutus quickly used his position to get even more mistresses, sometimes from noble families, sometimes from commoners; soon the palace was filled with bastard children, numbering in the dozens, and only growing. While there was precedent for an Emperor to take additional consorts in the past, the Emperor Brutus took it to a wholly_ unprecedented _level. Then he took it a step further, by not only acknowledging these children, but legitimizing them, thus putting them in the line of inheritance. So in addition to his dozens of legitimate children, he now had even more illegitimate children in line for the throne. Is it any wonder that such a vicious struggle for power took place?_

 _The Emblem kicked off surprisingly quietly with the death of Crown Prince William, who had initially been one of the children legitimized by Brutus. It had been through poisoning, and it may have been written off as choking or natural causes, but the poisoner confessed the culprit, and it turned out to be William's younger brother, Frederick, who was the eldest child of the Empress. Apparently Frederick had been plotting to poison all of three of his elder brothers, and when word was released, he was promptly executed for murder. It may have stopped there, but soon the new heir was shot as he was riding. Though the culprit wasn't caught, it was assumed to be his younger twin brother, who was slo executed. It proceeded to mushroom from there…_

 _Soon all the Emperor's children and wives were being made to poison, gun down, or slit the throat of their relatives, some to rise in power, some to simply stay alive themselves. In this chaos, alliances were made with powerful noble families, who were promised wealth and even more power if they gave their support. In this chaos, the mother of the future Emperor Charles, who had been a common woman, was murdered herself, as was Charles' own brother, Victor. Its estimated that approximately 50 people were killed in the Emblem of Blood, a good number of them young. During all of this, Emperor Brutus took remarkable little action; whether he kept no diaries or he did and they were lost, no one is sure why.*_

 _The Emblem of Blood didn't so much end as it simply fizzled out. It went to such an extent that eventually there weren't anymore people to compete in it, and the alliance webs just fell apart. In the end inheritance went to Prince Stewart, and upon Brutus' death he ascended without issue.* Regardless of any of this, though, the damage to Britannia had been done. The nobility was left greatly empowered by this struggle, the military. And to top it all off, there remained a young man who had seen the absolute worst of humanity, and had apparently been convinced that none of the good mattered anymore, if there even was anymore good left._

 _*According to a few sources I found, he was actually more indecisive than people realized, and he simply didn't have the will to act on anything that happened. I have also heard counter arguments that he supported the struggle, because it helped him pick out his enemies and his supporters (it bares noting there was never an attempt on his life). I'm inclined to favor the former of the two theories, as it falls in line with a general lack of real action and activity in Britannia outside of the Emblem._

 _*His reign was otherwise uneventful until he was violently overthrown by Charles._

 **Note: The course of the Emblem of Blood draws on the Ottoman Empire actually, because it was custom that all the Sultan's sons had a claim to the throne, no matter who their mother was. You can guess how things went from there. Now add probably another couple dozen kids…**

 **This was a talky chapter, mostly to set up the scene at Kawaguchi, and further examine where Euphie stands right now. In case you haven't noticed or don't read my other stories, my writing style generally approaches chapters as if they were scenes, instead of episodes. That's why they often are sometimes short, and only consist of one thing. Its always been the way I've wrote.**

 **Come the next chapter, I intend on kicking things off further. And for the record, no, I did not make up that proverb at the top.**

 **Be sure to review.**

 **As a little add on to my rant last chapter, I've noticed in fan fiction that Britannia isn't depicted as having become what it was through any event or particular reign, rather it was always like that; an oppressive, vicious empire. Why? Because its Britannia, that's the only reason ever given; Britannia is bad by virtue of being Britannia. Yeah, because that's always how it is in reality. Germany didn't become a vicious, fascist nightmare because of economic and social struggles that were seized upon by genocidal madmen, it was because it was Germany. Russia didn't become a ruthless, totalitarian empire because of a revolution hijacked by power hungry tyrants, it was because it was Russia. And Japan didn't became a militaristic, fanatic dictatorship because of fears exploited by ambitious warmongers, it was because it was Japan. Because no one can be bothered to really explore Britannia beyond being the Evil Empire, there is no dynamic to any of these conflicts.**

 **Also Lelouch's statement that uniting the world in hatred of one man is just plain ridiculous. The world was united in the hatred of Hitler, and look where that turned out.**


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